Chance Ptacek has been appointed head football coach at Southeast of Saline High School, succeeding longtime mentor Mitch Gebhardt after a celebrated tenure that includes a 2024 state championship.
Ptacek brings more than a decade of service to the Trojans, having played for the school, coached on both sides of the ball, and risen through the ranks from student assistant to defensive coordinator, forging deep roots in the community he now leads.
A Legacy of Excellence
Beyond the playbook, Ptacek shares his life with his wife, Pesha, a teacher at the same school, and their three children, Tiernan, Brielle and a younger sibling, grounding his professional ambitions in family values.
His coaching journey began at Bethany College, continued with four years at Salina South, and then returned to Southeast of Saline, where he was part of one of the most successful eras in program history, culminating in the 2024 championship that still resonates through the locker rooms.
Looking ahead, Ptacek says he wants to honor the tradition of Trojan football while pushing the team to compete at the highest level, emphasizing discipline, teamwork and a relentless pursuit of improvement.
The Southeast of Saline School District expressed confidence in his leadership, citing his intimate knowledge of the program and his proven ability to develop talent, and looks forward to building on the momentum of recent successes.